A Warm Feeling
by MilesTailsPrower-007
Summary: How does Reala really feel on the inside about life, the universe and everything? Not humorous. Summary is just stupid. Old.
1. That Feeling Deep Within

A Warm Feeling~  
  
By TAiLS Prower  
  
Alrighty, this is my first-ever NiGHTS story so don't be angry if I have any incorrect info in it. I only played the game at my friend's house for fifteen minutes! I just fed off the little bits of vague info I was told about the whole storyline, which wasn't much. Also, I may have made the story a little pointless since it's my first one about NiGHTS. The plot lines will become better once I get a better understanding of the Ideya and everything.   
  
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Nightopia was dark. NiGHTS sat atop the Twin Seeds Tower, staring out across the landscape. Nothing felt right to him. Was his whole life under the power of Wizeman? Was it all but a trap? He didn't want to think about it. NiGHTS kept high spirits. He smiled all of the time, too, which was something that normal Nightmaren (including the first-class ones) never did.   
  
"I see you're enjoying peaceful time to yourself, 'maren. That's just outta the ordinary. Plain wrong, too."  
  
NiGHTS turned. "Hello, Jackle. What are you doing out so late?"  
  
"Nothing," Jackle replied honestly, as if he had nothing to hide. "What are you doing, being such an irregular part of the Nightmaren?"  
  
NiGHTS smiled warmly, like he always did. "Same as you. Nothing. I'm just hoping Reala doesn't catch me out here or he'll tell Wizeman I got away again." His blue eyes looked out over the quiet landscaping again. There was a look of longing in his eyes, most certainly wishing that he wasn't what he was. But he was a Nightmaren, and there wasn't anything he could do. Inside, he didn't feel like a Nightmaren. There was a warm, kind feeling inside of him, yet another trait no one of his type was meant to contain.  
  
"I won't tell anyone you're out here," Jackle said. "I'll see you later." He left.   
  
It didn't really matter that NiGHTS would be by himself. No Nightmaren were out either. He disliked the class-traits of Nightmaren, especially fourth and fifth class. They were too controlled; too...posessed. First-class Nightmaren, like NiGHTS and Reala, were given more free will. Ultimately, though Reala was of first-class, he was extremely loyal to Wizeman. "If I get caught again, I don't know what Wizeman will do. I should just rebel..." NiGHTS thought. He spent afew more minutes alone, until Reala showed up.  
  
"What do you think you're doing out of the Ideya Palace?!" Reala demanded. "You were being punished for the moron that you are. If you just acted normal, no one would have such a problem with you. You took Courage Ideya from Wizeman."  
  
"I feel things much differently than you," NiGHTS said softly. "What I did yesterday was good. Taking Courage Ideya from him did something a world of good, because now Wizeman will have more difficulty taking over. I don't want to work for him anymore."  
  
"You know, you're letting your life slip away, NiGHTS," Reala said coldly. "You're really stupid listening to whatever little voice inside that is telling you to be this way."  
  
"It isn't a little voice, Reala. It's a feeling. A feeling of warmth I doubt you'll ever be able to know or understand." NiGHTS sighed, and looked down. Reala frowned, but then smiled mockingly. "What's the matter? Afraid to accept that you'll always be a Nightmaren...forever?" he teased cruelly.  
  
NiGHTS got up, floating in the darkened sky. His purple clothes further camoflaged him. He was still smiling, only, he was doing so very vaguely now. The look of warmth in his eyes had become more of a look of pity. Tears were on his face.  
  
Reala had never seen tears before because he couldn't cry. He looked slightly confused.   
  
"Reala, you'll never be able to understand, will you?" NiGHTS asked quietly. "I will NEVER be a Nightmaren, in my heart. Never." He flew off swiftly with golden sparkles trailing out behind himself. Reala stared after him. "If he never gets rid of that warm feeling, his life will be an encaged, pathetic waste in the closing grip of Nightopia..."  
  
NiGHTS' tears quickly dried as he darted through the dark sky. A feeling of detirmination met the feelings inside his heart. "I'll have Wizeman gone for good soon," he thought. "Just you watch, Reala..."  
  
(( to be continued )) 


	2. Forever Punished

NiGHTS~ A WARM FEELING chapter2   
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hello. I recieved a very encouraging review to continue this story. Thank you so much to the reviewer who told me to finish this, Avis (Crowhop77).  
  
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NiGHTS was at it again. He sat alone, trying to stay as alone as he could get so he could think. Reala was really beginning to frustrate him alot, and if no company meant no Reala, he was glad to be by himself. Reala only mocked the things he felt inside, and made him feel like it was true that he was possibly the only Nightmaren ever made that could feel this way. He sighed. "Good riddance to you, Reala," he thought aloud. "I can live without you here to tease me."  
  
Jackle floated up behind him noiselessly. He seemed to be quite good at finding NiGHTS whenever he left to be alone. He floated just beside him, and smiled sort of tauntingly. "You just dont' here me coming, do you?" he asked. NiGHTS jumped slightly.  
  
NiGHTS turned to look at Jackle for a moment, his purple eyes full of deep thought and those feelings Reala loved to mock so much. "I'm sorry, but I'd like to be alone," he said, his voice sort of quiet and sad. "I don't need Reala finding me again, and getting me in trouble like I know he will. Wizeman just won't understand, will he?"  
  
"I doubt he wants to," Jackle replied calmly. "But bein' a 'maren and all, your passion is supposed to be in the nightmares you cause."  
  
NiGHTS shook his head and looked out across Spring Valley. He knew Gillwing was looming in the darkness out there somewhere, as this was his territory designated to him by Wizeman. That serpentine creature had an awsomely powerful jaw, and though NiGHTS didn't fear any of the other nightmaren, he did fear becoming an enemy to those jaws. But Spring Valley was very quiet at 'night', and that's why NiGHTS had chosen to come here for now.  
  
Jackle spent his time in Soft Museum, guarding it from the dreamers with his blade-sharp card attacks. NiGHTS, on the other hand, didn't have much of a place. He liked to be free to go where he wanted, and do what he wanted. To him, being a nightmaren was the ultimate punishment, one that would apparently go on for his entire life, and Heaven only knew how long he was going to live. Punishment for life...  
  
The only sound for several minutes was NiGHTS' and Jackle's breathing. NiGHTS looked out silently at the landscaping, not taking his eyes off a particular spot. He knew Gillwing tended to remain near that particular area at this time of night, that, or he spent his time haunting the dreamers who were unlucky enough to attain themselves a nightmare, and a nightmaren. He decided after many long minutes to break the silence. "I don't know why you're listening to me, Jackle," he said. "You believe in your job as a nightmaren, but the whole basis of what I'm thinking of goes around how I hate BEING a nightmaren."  
  
"I don't know why I'm listening to you either," Jackle admitted. "I'm just doing it because I haven't got anything better to do right now."  
  
A small breeze caressed NiGHTS' cheek. Then the other. "Do you feel that?" NiGHTS asked, keeping his voice down. Jackle looked up. "No, but I know what's causing it."  
  
NiGHTS snapped his attention upward. Gillwing took a swoop downward. NiGHTS floated backward, getting out of the way. The giant serpent-like nightmaren looked at him a moment longer, then took another swoop at NiGHTS. He didn't seem to have anything to say vocally...  
  
Jackle made no attempt at attack, and neither did NiGHTS. He hadn't any time for this. "You're just like Reala," NiGHTS muttered at Gillwing. "A monster and nothing else."  
  
Now, Gillwing took no offense to this, but he seemed to have some chasing-type ideas in his mind. "Well?" NiGHTS asked, sounding a little bit cocky. "Don't you have anything to say to me?"  
  
Gillwing looked at him hard. "You're one mess-up of a nightmaren," he said quietly. "Get out. I intend to make sure you do." NiGHTS moved back some more. He was dreading those jaws even more, now that they were close to him. He wasn't in a mood to fight. He'd just have to run. And with that, he silently darted off through the dark sky. Jackle followed him.  
  
NiGHTS flew until he reached the Twin Seeds Tower before stopping. Slightly out of breath, he looked at Jackle, realizing that as much as he wanted to think Jackle was his friend, he was a nightmaren that thought like one. "Jackle, you know you're a nightmaren. You feel like one inside your heart, I know it. Therefore, you are my enemy."  
  
Jackle managed his sickening grin. "Hey you don't think I know that?! You're a freak of a nightmaren who doesn't even want to be one," he said. "You are nothing but a wreck, but I'm at need of a bit of company, and so..."  
  
NiGHTS nodded once. "Yeah, I know. Until I run away, I can consider you an ally. But after that...I'm sorry. Your ideas and mine just can't be around each other."  
  
And NiGHTS knew that he would be running away soon, and that meant that no 'maren was his friend. Wizeman had them possessed and would set everyone against him. It would soon be fight or die... 


	3. A Little Bit of Truth

A Warm Feeling~ chapter3 *This story is deticated to Avis, a very loyal reader of my NiGHTS story*  
  
Rebellion. Even if it was one nightmaren again his creator. NiGHTS took off as fast as he could through the sky, heeding nothing. He just had to run. Wizeman was furious with him right now, and if he were caught, he'd recieve harsh punishment. Punishment worse than being a nightmaren. NiGHTS kept up his speed, never once looking back. He knew if he wanted to get out, he'd have to pass through Stick Canyon, and that meant Reala's territory. NiGHTS didn't want to think of it. He had a fair way to go still. He darted noiselessly through Spring Valley, going as quickly as possible. He didn't want to be seen by Gillwing, and those jaws that were to be more dreaded now that NiGHTS was against Wizeman. He kept alert, listening for any sound that might mean Gillwing was close by. No such noises came. Thankful for this, he flew on.  
  
NiGHTS was getting a little short of breath; he'd been flying for quite awhile. But if he could just make it through Stick Canyon unseen, he'd be alright. The was no 'maren that was more of a tattle-tail than Reala. That nightmaren was as loyal to Wizeman as he could get.  
  
"Lucky for me," NiGHTS thought. "There's a chance I might not run into him..." A firm hand was placed on his shoulder, stopping NiGHTS abbruptly. He had a sick feeling in a moment he'd look into Reala's cruel blue eyes. He turned to look very slowly. It was Jackle. NiGHTS stared at him in shock. "Why the heck did you come after me?!!"  
  
Jackle shrugged. "'Cause I felt like it I suppose."  
  
NiGHTS was slightly angry. "I TOLD YOU THAT ONCE I RAN AWAY WE COULDN'T TALK TO EACH OTHER ANYMORE!!!" He took afew heavy, angered breaths. "In case that idiot Wizeman didn't inform you, I'M RUNNING AWAY RIGHT NOW!!!"  
  
With a smile, Jackle gave NiGHTS a little shove. "What are you afraid of? Reala? ..He isn't so great."  
  
"I'm avoiding Reala because he'll tell Wizeman where I am. That, or drag me there personally. I'm sorry. I have to go." He turned tail, and darted off through the darkness. He felt bad leaving the only 'maren who'd been nice to him in any way, but he was running away, and everyone counted as against him. He kept quiet. He was still in Spring Valley, and he feared Gillwing may have heard him. Thinking about Gillwing right now was a little bit stressful. Those big powerful jaws were now his enemy. Jackle's bladed cards could very well be against him, too. And Reala? Well, Reala would alway be against him, no matter what. He would continue to tease and jeer NiGHTS until he could no longer stand it and did something back.  
  
Think was the only thing NiGHTS could do right now. Think, and get as far past Stick Canyon and Spring Valley as he could before he was in need of rest. In afew moments, he flew clear out of Spring Valley, unseen by its serpentine guard. Next was the place he dreaded most. Reala's territory. Getting through would be difficult. Reala had a good eye for movement, and a good ear for tresspassers. Many dreamers had a right to dread Reala. He was really creepy, and cruel, too, and it was plain to see that he was definatly a nightmaren.   
  
Stick Canyon. NiGHTS had come to dread this place more than being a nightmaren. He wasn't afraid of Reala, but his words made NiGHTS sick. He knew there was no hope for him. He would be sick and cruel forever. There was no way to change him. But now that NiGHTS was there, he dreaded it less. It wasn't that bad of a place, but being confined to it would be tiresome. NiGHTS smiled at the thought of Reala being second to Wizeman when it came to cruelty. Compared to Wizeman, Reala was as sweet as candy.  
  
NiGHTS flew in cautiously. One slip-up and he'd have Reala's attention in an instant. Ever so carefully, he went in, holding his breath silent in case Reala was near. He moved forward a little more...and...  
  
"NiGHTS!" Jackle whispered.  
  
NiGHTS turned furiously. "This is a bad time, you idiot!" he whispered back harshly. "If Reala catches me, I'm in trouble! You aren't an ally, and I'm against all Nightmaren right now!" He pushed Jackle away, and flew on. Jackle followed him. "NiGHTS, Reala's going to catch you!" he whispered. "Get out of here!"  
  
NiGHTS ignored him. "I'm sorry. I can't trust you. Good-bye." Jackle looked at him, and shook his head. "You'll be sorry, NiGHTS..."  
  
NiGHTS heeded nothing of what Jackle said. He kept going. Luckily, he got a fair way through the place. But then, hell occurred. He flew into Reala. The nightmaren smiled coldly. "Jackle told you to listen. I told him to give you a fair warning to get out."  
  
A sick feeling came over NiGHTS. He wished now that he'd listened to Jackle...Reala's grin widened. "You know what I'm going to do with you, NiGHTS," he said coldly. "You know too well..." 


	4. Punished More

A Warm Feeling ch4 *Also this story is deticated to NiGHTDragon*  
  
Wizeman stared at NiGHTS coldly. All six of those purple eyes looked vaguely disappointed, and angry. NiGHTS knew he was trembling a little, though he had no idea why. He wasn't that afraid of Wizeman. Actually, he wasn't afraid of him at all. Wizeman just thought differently. He wanted to be cold and keep that icy heart. He wanted hope to die. Dreams were hope, and he made Dreamers leave Nightopia by taking away their Ideya.  
  
NiGHTS kept his eyes away from contact with Wizeman. He could feel the cold stare as though it were stabbing at him like a litte dagger. He looked hopelessly at the floor.  
  
"I'm supposing you have nothing to say in your own defense, NiGHTS," Wizeman said coldly. "If that's how it is, I can just throw you straight into the Ideya Palace, like the other times. Also...you never listen. If this all continues, I can fully consider you a threat to my whole operation, and by all means, you can be erased as easily as you were created." NiGHTS' eyes looked up to Wizeman's. "You claim to have no care for feelings," he ventured. "But you give me a chance? Why don't you give THEM a chance? Dreamers keep this world alive. Why do you want that gone? Why will you give me a chance to hurt that? If that's what you're doing, just throw me into the Ideya Palaces. Punishment won't change the way I think."  
  
Reala floated just behind him, his icy blue eyes holding a slight taunt. It looked as though he had a witty remark to voice, but was too frightened in the presence of Wizeman to say it aloud. Wizeman looked at him. "Reala, you are dismissed." Reala took another silent, mocking glace at NiGHTS, then floated out of the nightmare. NiGHTS' eyes remained on the darkness that was a floor.  
  
Wizeman seemed much smaller to NiGHTS than he normally did. Maybe it was due to the fact that NiGHTS was begining to think him a bit petty. "Well," NiGHTS began bravely. "There's nothing for me to do here. I might as well go serve out my punishment."  
  
"No," Wizeman said firmly. "I no longer trust you. You don't listen to me, and you tried to run away. You're setting an example to the third and fourth class Nightmaren, you know. You used to be the best. It seems I'll have to trust Reala in bringing you to the palaces."  
  
Reala this, Reala that. That was becoming all of what NiGHTS ever heard now. 'NiGHTS you were so great! But now try to be more like stupid REALA!!!!!'  
  
NiGHTS sighed. Using telepathy, Wizeman would call Reala back and make him feel worse about himself as he was dragged to the stupid Ideya Palaces again. Reala came quick as a shot. He was one loyal little sucker, and he would do anything to get a better rank than NiGHTS. Well, now that NiGHTS was being strange; running away, not heeding orders; Reala could very well be Wizeman's favored 'maren.  
  
"Escort NiGHTS here back to Ideya Palaces immediatly," Wizeman instructed. "Don't let anything go wrong. I'm thinking him more a threat to what I'm doing."  
  
Reala nodded. "Yessir. I'll get him there. We'll be good company for each other..." He grinned sickeningly.  
  
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Fifteen minutes later, Reala and NiGHTS were flying silently toward Ideya Palaces. Reala's porcelain face stayed straight. Not even his stupid painted grin came into play. NiGHTS found this unusual.  
  
"So, what's the matter with you today?" NiGHTS asked. "Can't think of anything to tease me with?"  
  
"That isn't it, you idiot," Reala snarled. "Your pitiful 'feelings' as you call them, got you into so much trouble, I'd almost shudder to think you could recieve worse punishment...for doing worse things."  
  
NiGHTS still didn't quite understand this, but it didn't matter. H'ed have to tolerate Reala's 'company' until he got to his punishment. It was odd how Wizeman didn't take stronger action right now; he hadn't forced NiGHTS there himself. He could easily get away from Reala. He just didn't. Maybe it was to prove he knew the consequences of his actions, but didn't care .It made him look bold, and he rather liked it, so he didn't make a move to get away from Reala.  
  
Ideya Palaces seemed kind of inviting. He'd be able to prove he could take the punishment without care. He was gonna prove his icy heart had melted. The ruby on his chest warmed slightly at the though, but he took no heed to it. He had other things to think about. 


	5. Friendship?

A Warm Feeling~ ch.5 * WOW!!! 5 CHAPTERS OF MY AWFUL, STUPID STORY! _ AND I'M WRITING NiGHTS' NAME PROPERLY NOW *  
  
NiGHTS had been thinking for awhile. He and Reala were close to their destination now, and there was a question rising in NiGHTS' mind. "Reala, why did you try to give me a fair warning?" he blurted. "That didn't seem like you at all..."  
  
Reala looked at him, and his mouth twisted into one of those sickening icy grins. "You think I wanted to help you?" He started to laugh a little bit, then it turned to the point where he'd bent over, laughing uncontrollably. NiGHTS looked at him in surprise. "What do you find so funny?"  
  
"NiGHTS," Reala said, managing to control the laughter. "Im laughing at how you think that I would play fair with you. You, and your little 'feelings' in there..." He pointed to NiGHTS' chest. "What happened to you? You used to make such a good partner. I'm begining to wonder if too much time in Spring Valley...that is, when it was your dream...made you go completely mushy. What did you do? Spend too much time with Nightopians?!" He smiled again with that painted grin.  
  
NiGHTS crossed his arms. He didn't feel upset though...kind of playful. He'd almost missed Reala's company over the time, even if Reala were cold and cruel. NiGHTS had been that way once too, and they'd been friends. But time had melted those days away. NiGHTS' heart was no longer icy. Something made him miss Reala's company a little, even if Reala wasn't much of 'company'.  
  
"Well," NiGHTS said smartly. "At least I'm not dressed like a checker-board!" He smiled. Reala stared at him skeptically."Yes, well, you're the one who turned himself into a bob-sled and slid down that hill in Frozen Bell, knocking Clawz out of the way!" he cried. NiGHTS laughed and gave Reala a shove. "Well you told me to!" he managed to say through the laughter. Reala's cold blue eyes sparkled with a look of slight ammusement. He was clearly beginning to enjoy himself.  
  
"NiGHTS," he began. "I owe you a shove down a hill!" He smiled in a non-cruel or icy way for the first time in months. He chuckled and pushed NiGHTS away. "But I'd rather just..."  
  
"REALA!" Wizeman's voice boomed through Reala's mind. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!! GET NiGHTS TO THE IDEYA PALACES RIGHT NOW!"  
  
Reala's grin became that cold glare. He floated regally before NiGHTS. "NiGHTS," he said, his voice returning to that unwaivering tone it always was. "We have to get going. You're being punished for not listening, if you don't recall. But then again, those stupid little 'feelings' in you probably deluded you again." He started to fly off. NiGHTS sighed and went after him. "Afew seconds ago, you were starting to have fun," he said. "Now...you're cold and cruel-looking again." He paused. "Please, Reala...Can't we just be friends? I know you're capable of being nice..."  
  
Reala looked back at him. There was apparently a part of himself desperatly wanting to say 'Why not?' but the cruelty overcame it. "Never," he said. "Now get going! Come on!"  
  
NiGHTS sighed. "I knew I'd never change you, Reala...I knew it," he thought sadly, and flew after Reala. 


	6. Warm Memories

A Warm Feeling~ chapter 6   
  
NiGHTS sighed and leaned against the wall. He hated confinments of any sort, even though the kind he normally tolerated was emotional. Trapping most of his feelings in because for a nightmaren, such things weren't permitted. The Ideya Palaces were a bore of a punishment. There was nothing for NiGHTS to do. So he leaned on the wall, with his arms crossed over his chest, staring at the dark oblivion that was intended to be a room around him. Well, he certainly had enough to think about. If he'd escaped from Reala on the way here, he'd look like a coward, and he wasn't a coward.  
  
It was hard to believe that only hours before, he and Reala had actually been PLAYING with each other. Laughing, and teasing one another...mocking things they'd done before...and it had only lasted a minute. Then Wizeman's voice in Reala's mind via that damn annoying telepathy had told him to get moving. He'd remembered that he was a cold hearted nightmaren, and that he and NiGHTS rivaled, argued and fought only. Friendship was behind him. A thing of the past he apparently had no intent on retrieving.  
  
"Ah, Reala," NiGHTS thought. "Make up your mind...just decide if you want the stupid friendship or not." He could tell that inside, Reala had a bit of a heart. It had tugged at him to say yes to NiGHTS' question, but the real answer he wanted to voice was covered by the 'NO' he'd blurted out. NiGHTS shook his head. "Let the stupid feelings out, you idiot," he muttered. He smiled to himself, thinking that Reala was probably more afraid of the feelings in his heart than he was of Wizeman. It was a little bit humorous to think of, and the more NiGHTS thought of it, the more he chuckled to himself.  
  
And another strange thing..Wizeman always told NiGHTS to get out of his sight..."That's a little hard," NiGHTS said aloud to nothing in particular. "..Considering you watch me all the time..." He was becoming ammused with the little things he was thinking about. Remembering when he and Reala were friends did hurt a little bit, but they were fun memories. A little bit cruel, but fun. NiGHTS forgot that he was being punished after awhile. He was a little bit happier remebering some things, and thinking about little thoughts he found rather ammusing. All the same, it made him smile to himself, and that ruby on his chest glowed softly. Happiness was an irreplacable feeling. He knew he'd always been able to feel it, even when his heart was once nothing but cold thoughts and useless drive, as if it were actually frosted over in ice. He'd been sort of numb to it before; numb to feel happiness. But he could feel it now, and the memories brought happiness he'd disregarded before.  
  
Being locked up like this wasn't so bad...He was free to think...free to feel... 


	7. Reala's Thoughts

A Warm Feeling~ chapter 7  
  
Reala had alot to deal with. There was a persistant nagging in his mind, but he didn't intend to give into it. Those thoughts could tug at his heart all they wanted; he could hardly feel them. Ice hasn't any emotion. But though Reala's heart was like ice, cold as the worst blizzard in Frozen Bell, colder than the color of blue his eyes were, he could still feel warmth. On those winter days when you come home from sledding, with your hands nice and numb from the snow, though you can hardly feel a thing, you can feel the warmth of the furnace as the cold begins to leave. However, if you go back outside again before the numbness has gone, your hands are sure to go completely numb again...  
  
This was how it was with Reala's heart. Cold and cruel. NiGHTS could just begin to melt it, but before all the iciness left, something happened and Reala would be forced into being cruel again. There was no way to win, but he didn't care. The little thoughts he had about things like that didn't matter to him.  
  
Reala leaned himself casually against part of the scenery. Stick Canyon was quiet at the moment, but soon a dreamer or two would enter and he would begin his job anew from the previous 'night'. Ah, Ideya were such a fun thing to take; you got to see the saddened, hurt and surprised expressions of the poor dreamers as they faded from Nightopia. That was Reala's favorite part.  
  
Soon a little boy skipped his way into the dream. He had messy dark hair and nearly the same color of eyes as NiGHTS. Reala swooped over, his gold star trail shimmering out behind him. "You haven't any idea how I love my job," Reala said quietly to the child, although he knew quite well that humans did not understand the language of nightmaren. The Ideya floating around the boy were snatched up in Reala's golden claws, and with a look of shock and sadness, the boy they'd come from disappeared from nightopia.  
  
Reala smiled in the cold crual fashion he normally did. "Ah...the joys of being a nightmaren..." 


	8. Rivalry?

A Warm Feeling ch.8  
  
NiGHTS' confinement lasted days.  
  
Wizeman did discover, to his enormous rage, that NiGHTS punishment wasn't even bothing him. It gave him a haven alone in which he could think. Think about whatever he pleased; the past, Reala, his feelings about nightmaren, Wizeman's pettyness...It was all good. He could smile to himself in the dark oblivion and no-one could taunt the warmth. It was actually sort of beautiful...  
  
But all in all, it seemed less of punishment, and this angered Wizeman to unspeakable limits. He sent Reala to get NiGHTS, and bring him over at once. Reala was quite pleased about this; not only could he make NiGHTS look pathetic on the way, but Wizeman was indeed starting to favor him. So grinning like some sort of evil clown, he flew off in a trail of golden stars toward the Ideya Palaces. Jackle darted after him. The demi-maren was apparently curious, as he'd missed out on all of NiGHTS' activity after Reala had caught him in Stick Canyon the night that NiGHTS had attempted to run away. "Reala!"  
  
Reala turned in annoyance. "What do you want, you demi-maren!?"  
  
Jackle grinned. "I'm bored. There isn't a thing to do at this time of 'day'. No Dreamers, no Ideya, nothin' to do."  
  
Reala growled a little. "Well, must you be on my case about it, you little moron?!"  
  
Jackle crossed his arms. "Hey, you have something to do and I DON'T!! So I want to come."  
  
Reala scoffed, and started to fly off. "Very well. Follow if you can keep up." His voice was a cold tune that played, not as demonic and cruel as Wizeman's, but definatly a cold evil sound. He had things on his mind, however, and they did affect his tone a little. Could that little extra tone be...sadness...?  
  
  
  
NiGHTS was waiting. Wizeman had told him that Reala would be there for him shortly, and he didn't doubt it. Reala did whatever Wizeman wanted as quickly and efficiently as he could. You see, he was still trying to get Wizeman to play favorites with him. It didn't take long. Reala flew in with Jackle behind him. NiGHTS smiled. "Ah, come to escort me back, did ya?"  
  
Reala smiled skeptically. "Yeah, you wish, don't you? I'd rather drag you back by the collar."  
  
NiGHTS flew over to him. "Well, let's go. The faster we get back, the faster you can be a sucker to Wizeman."  
  
Reala rolled his eyes. "Shut up, you freak. I don't need your stupid cracks about things right now."  
  
"Yeah, yeah. I forgot. When WAS the last time I saw a checker board handle a joke?"  
  
Jackle smirked at NiGHTS' words, and NiGHTS did as well. Reala turned huffily to go. "Well, let's get moving, both of you," he muttered. "We have to get back before the dreamers start their way in." NiGHTS smiled more. "I don't take the Ideya. I jst let them go. Remember?" Reala didn't heed NiGHTS' words until they'd been flying for about five minutes. "You know, if you actually did your stupid job like you were supposed to, I doubt Gillwing would have what used to be YOUR dream." He said nothing else. "Eh, who really cares?" NiGHTS said casually. "I don't want to be a 'maren, and that's that." Reala scoffed again like he had earlier at Jackle. He turned to look at NiGHTS. "Oh, I forgot," he said sarcastically. "YOU'VE GOT FEEEEEEEELINGS!!!" He smiled deeply, and coldly, and apparently to his heart's great desire, NiGHTS frowned hard at him.   
  
Jackle backed up a little. "Well, this isn't an inviting scene, so I think I might as well invite myself out of it." He senced something bad would occur, such as a fight, and he raced off to tell someone. Demi-maren loved to watch Nightmaren fight, especially if it was the two best against each other.... 


	9. The Hurt on His Face

A Warm Feeling~ chapter 9 *WOW!! HOLY THIS IS THE LONGEST STORY I HAVE THUS FAR!!!*  
  
  
  
Many demi-maren had gathered around NiGHTS and Reala. Wizeman shoved through them all. It was abnormal for him to leave the nightmare, but if two first-class 'marens were tearing each other apart, he had to do something. Reala and NiGHTS had about finished their battle, and they floated in front of each other, panting hard. They were both covered in cuts and scrapes, and their clothes were slightly torn. Silently, they glared at each other, unsure of what to do now. Wizeman looked extremley infuriated.  
  
"NiGHTS! REALA! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!!" he boomed.  
  
The two Nightmaren ignored him. "WHAT IN HELL DID YOU START THAT FOR?!!" NiGHTS yelled at Reala. Reala's frown deepened, and a low growl was rising in his throught. "What do you think, you fricking moron?!! You're just an idiot who thinks he can be more than a nightmaren!" He stayed silent. NiGHTS angrily glared back at him. "I'm not trying to be anything more than a nightmaren," he replied quietly.  
  
"THEN WHAT?!!" Reala screamed. "DAMMITT, NiGHTS, WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO BE?!!"  
  
NiGHTS smiled slightly. "...Myself. Not a nightmaren, just me..."  
  
Reala looked angrier. "You're such a...a...FREAK! You used to be so good at this, NiGHTS. What happened to you?!!"  
  
"Nothing. I just began to see what was better for me."  
  
Reala's eyes lit up with a look that could only be hatred. "So you deny that what I say is true?"  
  
"No. Maybe you're right. Maybe I AM a freak. The thing is, I don't care."  
  
Reala's golden claws were pulled into a tight fist. He was trembling visably, but not from his wounds or the battle. There were many many feelings bubbling up inside him, and he hadn't any idea of what to do. He took one of his hands and swiftly scratched across NiGHTS' face. Blood gushed from the large scrape and NiGHTS immediatly directed his face downwards. The demi-maren who had watched though the whole fight were silent from shock. NiGHTS looked back up at Reala after afew moments. The scratch across his face had bled downward quite a bit.  
  
Wizeman was sick of this disgusting display of emotion. "You are both sentenced to punishment. I am digusted at this display you've performed, even if I didn't see the battle with my own six eyes. I am sickened. Nightmaren with feelings of any sort for the dreamers are affronts to my operation. NiGHTS, for displaying that you are no longer a valid part of this team, you are sentenced to the nightmare for a month. Reala...I'm very disappointed. I thought you were more mature than to go off attacking others due to things I could easily have dealt with on my own." He turned to the demi-maren. "You are all dismissed." They left slowly, the bunch of them, whispering quietly to each other about hoe exciting it was when 'maren fought. And how NiGHTS would have that large scratch on his face for ages, which would be a constant reminder that he and Reala had tried to tear each other apart.  
  
Wizeman turned regally to leave. "And NiGHTS, I trust you will be returning with me to the nightmare now." NiGHTS sighed and followed him. He had left the blood dripping down his face unheeded, and made no attempt to clean it up. He was angry inside. Angry that he still wanted to keep trying to make Reala his friend. That 'maren had just battled him fouly, yet NiGHTS still clung to the hope of friendship. Why...?  
  
"Reala, you will be dealt with upon my return. See to it that in the mean time, you head back to your dream and think about the consequences of doing what you did. I do not tolerate foolishness."  
  
NiGHTS thought sadly, 'Yes...such foolishness...' 


	10. Never To Give Up

A Warm Feeling~ chapter 10  
  
NiGHTS was never so miserable. Reala was being uselessly stubborn. "Damn it," NiGHTS thought. "Why do I waste my time trying so hard?!!!"  
  
Wizeman was staring at him with those six purple eyes. Purple eyes full of disappointment; full of coldness; full of hate; full of incompassion; full of greed...NiGHTS sighed heavily. He couldn't even feel the cold hard look Wizeman was giving him. He felt hopeless. There was a gash across his face because he'd followed his heart; his heart had told him Reala was good, and because of Reala, NiGHTS' face had been scratched badly across. Now he questioned his heart's ideas...  
  
"NiGHTS, do you understand what you have done?" Wizeman asked calmly. The darkness around him loomed heavily but NiGHTS didn't care to notice. His eyes remained locked downward.  
  
"Yes, I understand. I'm not enough like stupid Reala, so he and I clawed each other apart...." He sighed heavily, and gently ran his fingers over the wound on his face. The blood had dried, and so had the few tears that had been there. "Now you're going to keep me here in the Nightmare, and away from the freedom I love so dearly, for a month."  
  
"Exactly. You were foolish to fight with Reala; as we speak, I sent him on double duty for Ideya. Every 'night' he must accomplish taking DOUBLE the total amount of Ideya he normally takes in a 'night' for the rest of this month, perhaps beyond that."  
  
NiGHTS didn't CARE what happened to Reala. That porcelain-faced, cold-hearted, stiff-humoured, uncaring clown...He could just go get...Eaten by Gillwing...for all NiGHTS really thought of it.  
  
"May I go suffer and be miserable now?" NiGHTS asked Wizeman, half muttering it.  
  
"Go ahead...Just get out of my sight, you bad example."  
  
NiGHTS flew off further into the Nightmare, cursing under his breath. "..Not like I can get outta your sight if you're always watching me, you idiot..."  
  
"NEVER ADRESS YOUR EXTREME SUPERIOR AND CREATOR BY THAT WORD!" Wizeman boomed into NiGHTS' mind via telepathy.  
  
NiGHTS looked back in Wizeman's direction, but he could no longer see him. "Fine...SORRY!" he said back over his shoulder.  
  
In the darkness of the Nightmare, alone to himself, though he had no idea why, NiGHTS whispered: "I don't know why I'll never give up until I have to, Reala..."  
  
(THE END)  
  
Author's Note: Yes, I will make a sequel. Yes, this chapter is short. Yes, I'm trying to think of a reason to make Jackle and Gillwing have larger parts in the sequel. Yes, I say 'yes' alot. And I'll shut up now. Thanks for your support with this fic, NiGHTDragon and Avis...This story (and its sequel) are entirely devoted to you two. Thanks everyone. G'night. 


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